Spring Into Fitness

Got these ideas from iVillage:

[This was originally posted on an MSN group in April 2004]

The goal is to get you moving and having some fun without placing excessive pressure on yourself. The result will be YOU wanting more - that’s when the motivational fire flickers into life.

The following 10 tips are simple and effective methods to jump-start your fitness programme:

1. Three 10-minute workouts spread through the day can be just as effective as one 30-minute session. Try to do three 10-minute bursts of activity such as 10 minutes of housework, a 10-minute walk at lunch and another 10-minute walk with your partner or a friend in the evening.

2. Make a clever food swap in one meal every day. If you usually have a sandwich with cheese for lunch, choose a lower fat cheese. If you have a salad for lunch, but it’s smothered with croutons, choose to limit or eliminate the croutons. I once trained a client who asked me to help him change his daily lunch of a cheeseburger and French fries. I told him to simply eliminate the cheese from the burger for two weeks and then we would review again. He thought I was going to suggest grilled chicken and vegetables. However, remember what I said about habits and motivation being coaxed - not forced.

3. At work, don't e-mail or use the phone if you’re in the same building as the person you wish to speak with, get off your butt and walk over to the person.

4. Make family events active events. Go for a group walk after dinner. Make family outings include physical activities such as volleyball on the beach, hiking through the forest or playing Frisbee at a family picnic.

5. Turn on the music and do aerobic housecleaning. C’mon, make it fun!

6. Perform calf lifts (toe raises) while cooking dinner.

7. If you have kids, teach them how to perform jumping jacks and then help them "practice" each day (very entertaining as well as good exercise).

8. Pack your lunch three days per week. You might love going out to lunch every day. However, if you make a healthy lunch just three days per week, you’ll be coaxing a realistic habit. This will make you look forward to your lunches out and appreciate your newfound discipline at the same time. I guarantee it will empower you.

9. Take your kids to the park and then walk or jog around the playground area.

10. Work on your posture. It’s amazing to see the number of people who slouch. If you stand up straight you’ll look leaner, younger and healthier. This is a really easy one, but you’ll be surprised how years of slouching will make this the most challenging of all the tips.

Hey, I know this won’t make you an Olympic athlete or give you six-pack abs, but that’s not the goal. I just want to see you making an effort to improve. If you take two to three of your favourite tips above - that will be the beginning of something great.

Let’s get started!